A pro-family organization in Pennsylvania is raising questions about the lack of outrage over the murder of a man named Shephard in a dispute involving homosexuality.

No, not Matthew Shepard, whose murder in Wyoming a decade ago has been used by “gay” activists ever since as a reason to demand enhanced “hate” crimes for anyone who perpetrates criminal activity against a homosexual.

This case involves an innocent man who was murdered by a homosexual when the victim resisted his attacker’s sexual advances.

The latest case involves Jason Shephard, 23, who was attacked and killed by Bill Smithson, an openly homosexual man, who slipped the victim the date rape drug GHD and attempted to rape him.

“The American Family Association of Pennsylvania
(AFA of PA), remembers another Shepard who was murdered 10 years ago in
the state of Wyoming and homosexual activists used that murder to push for
hate crimes laws to include ‘sexual orientation,’ the organization said yesterday, following Smithson’s sentencing to life in prison.

But unlike with Matthew Shepard’s death, there’s been no outcry from the ranks of homosexual activists.

“The silence of homosexuals is deafening when it comes to their own
murdering innocent people. The murders of both Matthew Shepard and Jason
Shephard were tragic, but one murder is being used by homosexual activists
to push their agenda of special rights. No additional laws are needed –
murder is murder, but apparently the murder of Matthew Shepard was more
important for those pushing an agenda,” said Diane Gramley, president of
the AFA of PA.

The organization reported homosexual activists say that Matthew Shepard was specifically targeted to
be killed because he was homosexual, yet the evidence shows something else.

“An ABC 20/20
investigation which included interviews with the two murderers revealed that
Shepard’s murder resulted from a botched robbery,” the organization said.

“It was the perfect ‘hate crime.’ Backers of hate-crime legislation in Washington – and their allies in the homosexual lobby – could not have hoped for anything better. Suddenly, here was evidence of America’s ‘hate-crime epidemic’ blasted to the nation and the world via wall-to-wall media coverage. The need to pass hate crime legislation immediately was evident.” he wrote.

“Matthew Shepard, it was reported, had died at the hands of two bigots enraged by his homosexuality. They mercilessly beat him with a .357 magnum pistol, stole $30 and left him tied to a split-rail fence outside Laramie, Wyo. Alone, in near-freezing nighttime temperatures, the 21-year-old college student fell into a coma and was not found until 18 hours later. He died on Oct. 12, 1998, six days after the brutal attack,” he continued.

“Homosexual-rights groups, some in the media and even a few politicians charged that Christians who oppose homosexuality were to blame for Matthew Shepard’s death. Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest homosexual advocacy group, charged on NBC’s ‘Today’ show that Shepard was murdered because ‘people’s minds have been twisted with cruel stereotypes about gay and lesbian people.’ Birch blamed a pro-family ad campaign featuring men and women who had left homosexuality, for having ‘poisoned’ the atmosphere,” Aman wrote.

Even today, Aman noted, Matthew Shepard’s name is synonymous with the campaign to enact hate-crime laws. Supporters of the “Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007″ want to add “sexual orientation” to the list of groups granted special protection from so-called hate crimes, he said.

Only the story isn’t accurate.

Money for drugs, not ‘homophobia,’ was the motive for Matthew Shepard’s murder, Aman noted. The ABC report said Aaron McKinney, sentenced in 1999 to two life sentences for Shepard’s murder, was on a sleepless week-long methamphetamine binge and in search of money for more drugs when he and his accomplice, Russell Henderson, met Shepard at a bar.

McKinney himself has said, “All I wanted to do was beat him up and rob him.”

Henderson also denied the hate-crime charge. “It’s not because me and Aaron had anything against gays or anything like that,” he said.

The American Family Association of Pennsylvania said there are similar instiances. In Benton County, Ark., 13-year-old Jesse Dirkhising was sodomized by two homosexuals and allowed to die in his own vomit in 1999, the group said.

“Jason Shephard was a young college student targeted by a homosexual man to
fulfill his sexual desires. Homosexual activists are silent on this murder – yet they still use Matthew Shepard as the poster child for their campaign
to write ‘sexual orientation’ into hate crimes laws. Hate crime laws are
not needed – Wyoming still does not have one and Pennsylvania’s was thrown out this summer,” the organization said.

“Matthew Shepard’s murderers are spending the rest of
their lives behind bars just as the murderers of Jason Shephard, Jesse
Dirkhising and Mary Stachowicz are. Murder is murder and increased
penalties for attacking a specially protected group listed in a hate crimes
law is a waste of everyone’s time and resources. Such a law creates unequal
protection under the law,” said Gramley.

According to Philly.com, a website for the Inquirer and Daily News, Smithson, during his trial and sentencing, never admitted to the murder, nor did he express sorrow to the victim’s parents.

He blamed his behavior on his struggles with drugs, too.

Testimony at his trial revealed he held a ligature around his victim’s neck for up to two minutes after he lost consciousness due to lack of oxygen, assuring his death.

WND also reported after voters in Florida, Arizona and California joined residents of 27 other states with constitutional protections for traditional marriage – and homosexual activists responded with terroristic threats against Christians and their churches.

“Burn their f—ing churches to the ground, and then tax the charred timbers,” wrote “World O Jeff” on the JoeMyGod blogspot after California officials declared Proposition 8 had been approved by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent. Confirmation on voter approval of amendments in Florida and Arizona came earlier.

The amendments in all three states essentially limit marriage to one man and one woman. In California, the measure states the only marriages “valid and recognized” in the state are those between one man and one woman.

On a blog website, “Tread” wrote, “I hope the No on 8 people have a long list and long knives.”

Another contributor to the JoeMyGod website said, “While financially I supported the Vote No, and was vocal to everyone and anyone who would listen, I have never considered being a violent radical extremist for our equal rights. But now I think maybe I should consider becoming one. Perhaps that is the only thing that will affect the change we so desperately need and deserve.”

A contributor identifying himself as “Joe” said, “I swear, I’d murder people with my bare hands this morning.”

Matt Barber, director of cultural affairs for Liberty Counsel, called the statements “hate crimes” for their intent to create violence against someone based on their beliefs.

“This is not just a matter of some people blowing off steam because they’re not happy with a political outcome. This is criminal activity,” he said. “The homosexual lobby is always calling for ‘tolerance’ and ‘diversity’ and playing the role of victim. They claim to deplore violence and ‘hate.’ Here we have homosexuals inciting, and directly threatening, violence against Christians.”